A Matter of Will
by Saerphe
Summary: Enough AerrowXPiper fluff to drown in. Aerrow's been captured by the Cyclonians, and the Hawks have to save him. Not the most original I know, but more inside. Rated T for safety. OCs will occur
1. Chapter 1: Capture

**Hello again my faithful readers! Wow, I can hardly believe I already have two fics and a oneshot under my belt! I'm planning for 'A Matter of Will' to have considerably more AerrowXPiper fluff, but it's not a slash fic. That just doesn't attract me much.**

**Anywho, i have some rambling to do before we get on with the story. I'd like to dedicate this story to my most faithful reviewers:**

**_Nakedmolerat05:_ Who reviews every single chapter. Wow, thanks a lot! **

**_Bkipper:_ Who loves AerrowXPiper fluff as much as I do. Go read her fics, they're good!**

**_Eldonyx:_ Thanks a lot for your ideas and support**

**_Azaria-Lady-of-Dreams:_ I'm glad you like my writing. Good luck with your 30-kisses series! AerrowXPiper foreva!**

**And also to all my other reviewers, where would my fics be without you guys? Not far, I can guarantee that! Thank you so much! Now, On with the story! **

_**Capture**_

Aerrow was dodging trees in yet another mission to free the prisoners of terra Zartacla. Mr. Moss was hot on his tail, Bessie's engines emitting a deafening roar. Radarr was nowhere to be found; he and Aerrow had had to split up to evade the track beasts.

"Yew won't be gettin' away from me this time, boy!" Mr. Moss howled over the roar of his Heliblade. With a crack of his whip, several thick-trunked trees fell. Aerrow leaped out of the way of one, finding himself suddenly out in the open. Aerrow backed away from the guards that threatened to surround him. Mr. Moss landed his vehicle and dismounted, cracking his whip.

"Yew've got nowhere to run now." Mr. Moss snarled. Aerrow quickly took in his surroundings. There was some well-forested swampland just behind him; if he could run fast enough, he might have a chance to escape.

As Mr. Moss raised his pudgy arm to crack the whip again, Aerrow turned and bolted off into the trees. A crystal-whip generated buzz saw sliced through the trees nearby. Another saw hit more than just the trees. Aerrow gasped, putting a hand to the gash in his side. It was long and deep, but clean. He forced himself to his feet and kept running. Unfortunately, the trail of blood would make tracking him down far too easy.

There was a loud crack, and a white hot tendril wrapped around Aerrow's ankles, pulling him down. He rolled over onto his back to see Mr. Moss approaching fast, his whip whirling above his head. Aerrow tried to get up, but the blood loss was starting to get to him. He fell to one knee in a wave of pain and dizziness. Mr. Moss chuckled evilly.

"I knew yew couldn't git away from me a second time." The Zartaclan prison manager smirked at the fallen sky knight.

'_I hope the others are having more luck than I am._' Aerrow thought fervently. The gash in his side gave a painful throb, and Aerrow blacked out.

* * *

Piper stared out the Condor's window, waiting for Finn to return. Aerrow hadn't met them at the rendezvous point, and the navigator was starting to get worried. Finn had taken his skimmer out to search for Aerrow and Radarr. Junko was in the hangar bay, tending to the freed prisoners. It hadn't gone as well as the last time, but Piper supposed that she should have expected that. There had been a few guards left in the prison when the Storm Hawks had broken in. 

The sound of a skimmer's engines shook Piper out of her reveries. She rushed out onto the runway. Finn had finally returned with Radarr, but Aerrow wasn't with them.

"Where's Aerrow?" Piper asked apprehensively. Finn looked at her sadly.

"We couldn't find him anywhere on the terra," Finn replied softly. Piper almost couldn't hear him, "They must've got him." Piper's heart plummeted into her stomach like a rock, her orange eyes wide with dread. Finn put a hand on her shoulder, way more solemn than he usually was. Radarr whimpered and leaped onto Piper's other shoulder, his furry face creased with worry.

They returned to the bridge of the Condor and relayed the bad news to the rest of the team. Stork shook his head, muttering about how he knew this would happen and that nobody listens to him. Junko looked close to tears, Finn was completely silent, and Radarr kept close to Piper for comfort. Weaverbird stood staring out the window at the sunset, her expression unreadable. Piper flopped down in a chair.

"I can't believe I let him go down there," she muttered, "I should have known this plan wouldn't work a second time. This is all my fault." Piper buried her face in her hands, fighting back tears. She was acting team leader while Aerrow was gone; she couldn't afford to show any weakness.

"You know it's not your fault," Weaverbird admonished softly. There was no emotion in the Dragoness' voice as she spoke, "It could have happened on any mission…" Weaverbird trailed off, not looking away from the window. The light in her crystal pulsed gently in the gathering gloom. Piper thought it almost seemed to waver, as if it showed the Dragon's sorrow despite her attempts to hide it. There was a long silence.

"He's still alive you know." Weaverbird spoke more clearly. Piper looked up, surprised. The other Storm Hawks stared at the Dragoness. She looked around at them, her eyes were like chips of blue ice. Piper knew that look. It was the determined look Aerrow got just before a mission.

"How do you know?" Piper's voice wavered, "The Cyclonians would want to be rid of him quickly." Everyone nodded.

"Yeah," Stork assented, "They'd do away with Aerrow while he's still too weak to fight back." Weaverbird snuffed in a cynical way.

"He's alive all right," the Dragoness replied, "I can feel him. If he were dead, I wouldn't be able to sense his presence. I didn't, however, say he was unhurt." Piper looked into Weaverbird's eyes. Now that she mentioned it, Piper thought the Dragon looked rather downtrodden; her crest drooped, and her scales appeared to have lost their healthy sheen. Piper looked away, her forehead creased with worry. If Weaverbird was any indication, Aerrow couldn't be doing too well himself.

"Then we'll just have to save him," Piper said straightening up, "I'll go with Weaverbird and try to come up with a plan. Finn, Junko, go look after the people we freed. Stork, try to find us somewhere safe to land for the night." Piper and Weaverbird headed off to Piper's quarters, hoping that Aerrow could hold up under whatever the Cyclonians planned for him.

* * *

When Aerrow came to, he found himself in a prison cell, his wrists in shackles. He sat up, ignoring the pain in his side. The bleeding had slowed, but not completely stopped. His head was pounding; Aerrow pressed a couple fingers to his temples in an effort to ease his headache. 

There were two guards at his cell; one ran out when he saw Aerrow sit up. Within a few minutes he returned, dragging Aerrow out of his cell and into a large room. When his head finally stopped spinning, Aerrow realized that not only Mr. Moss, the assistant animal keeper Hamish, and several guards were in the room but also what prisoners were left in the prison. Aerrow's heart sank when he realized that Piper had not been able to rescue all of them. Mr. Moss stepped forward, holding his hands out for silence, not there was anyone who dared speak.

"Today," he started, his southern drawl reaching every ear in that room with ease, "I'm gonna show y'all what happens to people who try to leave my prison. Zartacla is a dangerous terra anywhere outside the prison proper. However, you'll be lucky if you don't come back from the swamplands. Because I can be extremely dangerous when my patience runs thin." Aerrow's green eyes widened; Mr. Moss intended to make an example of him to discourage escape attempts from other prisoners.

The prison manager raised his whip, bringing it down with a sharp, fearful crack. Aerrow bit back a cry of pain when it bit into his flesh. Mr. Moss was about to raise the weapon again, when an unfortunately familiar voice interrupted.

"I'd suggest you drop the whip." Aerrow's eyes flew wide open with disbelief. There was a collective gasp from prison staff and prisoners alike. The Dark Ace strode into the room. "Master Cyclonis wants him," his red eyes glinted maliciously, "_whole_."

**Ooooh, a cliffie on the first chapter! Wow, I'm evil! XD I just hope you guys like Aerrow torture, there's gonna be quite a bit. I find it helps set off my AerrowXPiper moments quite nicely. X3 Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2: A Shadow in the Dark

**Hello again everybody! Before we get on with chapter 2, I've got a couple things to say.**

**I totally forgot this last chappie, but I'd also like to dedicate this story to:**

**_MinakoJupiter:_ Another of my most faithful reviewers since 'Of Dragons and Darkstones' Thanks for your support! **

**And I now take anonymous reviews. Yay:D**

**Enjoy!**

_**A Shadow in the Dark**_

Mr. Moss was strolling through the hallways of his prison, pondering what had happened. Renowned commanders such as the Dark Ace rarely showed up on terra Zartacla. He would have enjoyed punishing that red haired boy, but orders were orders. Mr. Moss wondered what Master Cyclonis could possibly want with a runt like that. He was so distracted with his thoughts that he didn't see a shadow detach itself from the others and dart out of sight again. Until it was too late, that is.

A tall thin humanoid in a black body suit snuck up behind Mr. Moss silently, and pressed a crystal-tipped staff into the small of his back. The prison manager froze in shock. He craned his neck, trying to see who was behind him. The humanoid was obviously female, and very thin. A mask covered her face; not even her eyes were visible.

"Where is he?" she hissed threateningly.

"Who?" Mr. Moss asked in return, shuddering a little.

"Red hair, green eyes, slightly taller than me. Where is he?" she prodded the staff into Mr. Moss' back a little harder. He tried and failed to suppress a small yelp of fear. He figured he'd better tell the truth, if he wanted to get out of this unscathed.

"Dark Ace came earlier today, took him away to Cyclonia." Mr. Moss gulped. The humanoid was silent, as if weighing the truth of his words.

"I swear it's true," Mr. Moss continued, "I got any number 'o witnesses; prisoners, guards, Hamish, the animal keeper. They were there." The figure behind him said nothing.

"It better be true," she snarled, "because you'll regret it if it's not." The pressure of the staff against Mr. Moss' back lifted and he turned. The figure was gone, as quickly as it had come. Briefly, Mr. Moss wondered if it was all in his head. The stress must be getting to him. Shaking his head, he continued his rounds.

* * *

Piper reentered the Condor's bridge, pulling off a black mask as she went. Her little sojourn to the Zartaclan prison had went better than she had expected. Piper didn't think Mr. Moss had lied to her, but that didn't necessarily mean anything good. What could Cyclonis possibly want with Aerrow? Piper weighed the possibilities. The only things that seemed likely were that she wanted to convert Aerrow to her side. Or that Aerrow knew something that Cyclonis wanted to know.

Piper was shaken out of her reveries when Weaverbird entered the bridge. The Dragoness had continued to deteriorate ever since Aerrow went missing. There was a grey tinge in her scales, and her crest lay nearly flat against her neck. She padded up and settled herself beside Piper. The girl laid a hand on the Dragon's neck; Weaverbird's usually warm hard scales were rather clammy, and seemed a little leathery. The Dragoness let out a long sigh that seemed to go on forever. Piper figured it was because of the extra pair of lungs.

"How you holdin' up?" Piper murmured softly. Weaverbird closed her eyes.

"Terribly. Aerrow's faded out of my range." Weaverbird mumbled back. Piper grimaced; ever since Weaverbird had healed a fatally wounded Aerrow with a piece of her crystal, they couldn't travel farther than twenty ticks from each other. Piper wondered how far away Aerrow had gotten from them.

"How'd the mission go?" Weaverbird croaked, her eyes still closed. Piper stroked the Dragoness' neck absentmindedly. Weaverbird didn't protest, which was odd; she hated getting treated the way a pet might, and never allowed any form of petting. Piper guessed that Dragons didn't have much physical contact in their society.

"I got what we wanted," Piper replied simply. Weaverbird opened one slit-pupiled eye, waiting for the navigator to elaborate, "Dark Ace came and took Aerrow to Cyclonia. Moss didn't say what Aerrow was wanted for, but he probably hadn't been told anyway." Piper sighed; this day kept getting better and better. Weaverbird picked up on the girl's thoughts and rumbled in agreement.

* * *

Aerrow wasn't in much better condition than Weaverbird. The gash in his side continued to weep, as did the newer one on his back. He hadn't eaten in a while, but he didn't think he'd be able to keep anything down if he did.. The shard of crystal embedded deep within his chest gave a throb, and he winced, fighting off dizziness. This was exactly what happened last time Aerrow had wandered out of Weaverbird's range.

A guard opened the door to his cell aboard the Dark Ace's carrier ship and slid a small metal tray with some food and a glass of water on it into the cell. Aerrow didn't move; he had no intention of giving his captors any satisfaction. Dark Ace chuckled darkly.

"I'd suggest you eat something." The Talon commander said. Aerrow looked away.

"What does Cyclonis want with me?" he spat, glaring at his nemesis. The Dark Ace regarded the sky knight with his blood-red eyes.

"It's _Master_ Cyclonis to you," he replied, "and she told me nothing of her intentions. However, knowing how dear you've made yourself to the Cyclonian Empire, I'd say you're going to need your strength." Dark Ace turned on his heel and exited, leaving Aerrow alone in the darkness.

**Suspense is building! XD Stay tuned for chappie 3, it's in the works!**


	3. Chapter 3: A New Device

**Wow, I'm efficient today! Two (possibly more) chapters up, and I finally got around to some lingering tasks. Like cleaning my Betta's tank. :P Still, he's the one who has to live in it, so I'm not complaining. XD**

**Master Cyclonis makes her first appearance in this chappie. Oooh, evilness:) Feel free to insert the 'I'm an Evil Dictator' secondary voice at anytime. XD**

**LOL! On with... Ah, you all know the drill. ;)**

_**A New Device**_

Piper was getting impatient. They had set a course for Cyclonia, but Weaverbird hadn't improved so they assumed that they hadn't gotten any closer to Aerrow. Having to stop to refuel and drop off the prisoners they'd freed on Atmosia caused them to lose even more time.

Piper had done everything she could think of to pass the time; she cleaned the hangar (much to Finn's relief), tried to think up a plan for freeing Aerrow, and practiced her Sky Fu, but the hours still crawled by unbearably slowly. Even tinkering in her crystal lab didn't help.

"Is it just me, or does Piper seem more uptight than usual?" Finn muttered to Stork. The Merb had to agree; it seemed like Piper was prepared to run the Condor into the ground. Piper had taken to pacing endless circles around the bridge. Nobody spoke much, but that arrangement was just fine with her. She hadn't been in the mood to talk much anyway. Weaverbird was curled up in a dark corner of the bridge.

"If you keep doing that, you'll pace a hole clear through the floor." Weaverbird called, not bothering to open her eyes. Piper ignored her and continued pacing. Breathing a long tired sigh, Weaverbird briefly wondered if there was something more to Piper's restlessness.

* * *

Aerrow was being 'escorted' to Master Cyclonis' throne room. Escorted meaning forced to move along by several Talons brandishing spears at his back. The Dark Ace strode aloofly along behind them. The guards at the door moved aside as it opened. They were all herded inside. 

"On your knees before the Master." One Talon ordered roughly. When Aerrow refused to comply, the Talon gave him a sharp poke in the back. An unpleasant shock ran through Aerrow's body when the Firebolt crystal came in contact with his skin. Aerrow gritted his teeth as he fell to one knee. He tried to get back up again, earning himself another jab. Master Cyclonis turned away from the Storm Engine that was steadily rebuilding itself.

"Enough," Master Cyclonis ordered lightly, waving one hand, "Let him enjoy his last few moments on his feet. He will fall to his knees soon enough." The Talons bowed and backed away as the Master approached. Aerrow shot her the most contemptuous glare he could muster.

"Thank you Dark Ace, he's exactly what I need. I just don't know whether to reward Moss for capturing him, or to punish him for losing half of the other prisoners." Cyclonis said, eyeing the sky knight as contemptuously as Aerrow did her. The Dark Ace bowed, his fist pressed to his heart. "Take him to the new holding cell." Cyclonis ordered the lesser Talons. They bowed again, ushering Aerrow out of the throne room.

"If I may be so bold to ask, master," Dark Ace straightened up, "What exactly do you need him for?"

"I need someone like that Storm Hawk to help me test my new invention. After I've finished with him, you can do with him what you wish; I could care less what happens to him then. Or perhaps we can persuade him to join us. You have said before that he would make an excellent Talon." '_He will also make excellent bait for my true target._' Cyclonis added silently.

"Go," the ruler of Cyclonia ordered, "See to it that our guest is made… _comfortable_. I will join you shortly." Cyclonis turned back to her Storm Engine as Dark Ace left the room. She smiled malevolently. Her plan was unfolding perfectly.

* * *

Aerrow had been shackled to the metal wall of the holding cell. The golden shackles around his wrists and ankles were bolted against the wall, so he was essentially hanging from it. Each had a clear crystal encrusted into the metal. 

There wasn't much in the room; tall statues of gargoyles stood in each corner, and there was a large metal air vent in the ceiling covered by a grate. What appeared to be a long table with several blue, yellow and red crystals jutting out of it stood in the center of the room. Aerrow wasn't sure what it was exactly, but it put a knot of dread in his stomach.

The Dark Ace had entered the room shortly after the Talons had chained Aerrow to the wall. He said nothing, just stood silently like he was waiting for someone. Blood trickled down Aerrow's side; his wound had reopened and started throbbing. Aerrow ignored it.

Aerrow looked up as Cyclonis entered the room. She stood before the table with the crystals on it, Dark Ace moving to stand beside her.

"Comfortable?" Master Cyclonis asked mockingly. Aerrow didn't answer; he simply glared at his enemies. Cyclonis chuckled darkly.

"What do you want with me?" Aerrow snarled, gritting his teeth against the throbbing of the shard of Dragon crystal within him. Cyclonis said nothing, just reached out and let her hand hover over the first blue crystal. Watching Aerrow closely, she let her hand rest on the top of the crystal.

A burning pain shot through Aerrow and he cried out, more in shock than in discomfort. Cyclonis lifted her hand from the crystal and crossed her arms.

"What do you think of my new invention?" she said, indicating the table with the crystals that jutted out of it. Aerrow didn't reply; he just looked at it sideways. The sky knight clearly had an aversion to this new form of cruelty.

"I call it an Interrogator," Cyclonis continued, "The blue crystals produce mildest level of pain. The red produces the most intense. That was the lowest level. This," Cyclonis indicated the darkest red crystal at the end of the line, "is the highest. Ingenious, isn't it?" the Dark Ace looked obviously impressed. Aerrow felt the knot of dread in his stomach grow heavier.

"What do you want with me?" Aerrow reiterated his question, panting slightly. Cyclonis shook her head, a small cynical smile on her pale face.

"Mostly, I just needed you to test the Interrogator on," Cyclonis replied dismissively, "however; I can probably find some other use for you. I like to manipulate others to get what I want, especially my enemies. Surely you've noticed that by now." Aerrow frowned; he wondered what that was supposed to mean. Cyclonis turned to leave, the Dark Ace on her heels.

"We'll come back to visit tomorrow," Cyclonis said threateningly, "Until then, make yourself at home." The Cyclonians left, leaving Aerrow alone (save for the two guards outside the door) to ponder Cyclonis' words.

**Well, tell me what you think! I love to hear from you guys! See y'all at chappie 4!**


	4. Chapter 4: One for Sorrow

**Wow, I need another hobby XD. 3 chapters in a day! This story is unfolding quite nicely, though.**

**We meet a new charater in this one. I'm not going to say anymore or I'll spoil it for you:)**

_**One for Sorrow**_

It had been a few days since Aerrow had gone missing. Piper sat out on the runway, dangling her legs off the edge. Radarr perched on one side of her, Weaverbird dozed on the other. Piper watched as a lone bird fluttered down and perched on the roof of the Condor. Weaverbird raised her head to gaze at it sleepily.

"It's a magpie." Piper said, staring at the black bird with red and blue on its wings. Weaverbird frowned, rumbling in the back of her throat. Piper asked what was wrong.

"There's only one." Weaverbird stated simply.

"So?" Piper waited for the Dragoness to elaborate. Weaverbird didn't look away from the magpie.

"You never heard the old rhyme?" Weaverbird purred to her companion. Piper shook her head. The Dragon recited;

"_One for Sorrow,_

"_Two for Joy,_

"_Three for a Girl,_

"_Four for a Boy,_

"_Five for Silver,_

"_Six for Gold,_

"_Seven for a Secret,_

"_Never to be told._"

"It was once believed that you could tell the future from how many magpies were in a flock," Weaverbird continued, "It was just superstition of course." Weaverbird shook her head and settled it back on her paws. Piper watched the magpie.

"One for Sorrow…" She muttered, feeling a lump form in the pit of her stomach. Piper wasn't a superstitious person, but seeing the lone magpie perched on the roof made her incredibly uneasy. The little bird fluttered away.

* * *

Aerrow would have agreed with the magpie prophecy right then. He didn't know how he managed to hold up under the strain. On top the daily 'visits' from Master Cyclonis and the Dark Ace, he still refused to eat or drink anything. The door to the holding cell opened and he looked up, half expecting it to be Cyclonis and Dark Ace, but it wasn't. 

A woman in her twenties entered the room, holding a flask of what could only have been water. She strode towards him and pressed the back of her hand to Aerrow's forehead. He tried to pull away, but there wasn't really anywhere for him to go and he didn't have the strength.

"You have to at least drink something at some point." She said softly, removing the Talon goggles to reveal stunningly violet eyes.

"What do you want from me?" Aerrow sighed. The guard raised an eyebrow.

"I don't want anything. I came to help you. Cyclonis put you under my charge, so I figured I'd come visit." Aerrow fidgeted slightly; the 'visits' he got these days were a far cry from pleasant.

"Why would a _Talon_," Aerrow said the word as if spitting out something poisonous, "want to help a sky knight? Especially a Talon loyal enough to have a high security prisoner put under her charge?" The guard didn't reply, her expression unreadable.

"I'm not here by choice." She replied after a time. Aerrow snorted disbelievingly. Her bright violet eyes bored into Aerrow's green ones as she continued.

"Okay, I chose to be here, but out of desire to protect the ones I love, rather than greed." Aerrow watched her silently, carefully weighing her words. He waited for the guard to continue. She took a deep shaky breath.

"The Cyclonians have my daughter Mika." She choked out, "I work for Cyclonis to ensure her safety." Aerrow looked away, moved with pity.

"I'm sorry." Aerrow replied softly, wishing he could do more to help. The Talon shook her head, waving away his apology.

"My name's Lara." She introduced herself.

"I'm Aerrow." He returned the introduction. Lara held up the flask of water.

"You have to drink something." She stated flatly. Aerrow sighed; he couldn't help thinking of how dry and sore his throat was. Aerrow nodded grudgingly. Lara held the flask to his lips and he took a few swallows. The cool water helped ease his sore throat.

Lara pulled a clean cloth from her belt pouch and poured some water onto it. She gently started to clean Aerrow's wounds. For once he didn't protest. The ache slowly faded away. Aerrow thought of his squadron and his heart ached. He missed them, especially Piper; she'd know what to do in a situation like this. Lara wrung out the cloth, tucking it away into her belt pouch again.

"Get some rest." She said, but there was no reply. Lara turned back to the sky knight, only to find he was already asleep.

**That was really more of a nothing chapter, but it served to introduce Lara quite nicely. This is prob'ly the only one of my fics she'll appear in. Oh well. Ya never know!**

**Stay tuned!**


	5. Chapter 5: Infiltration

**Hi guys, I'm back! I've got nothin' to say, so on with the story!**

_**Infiltration**_

Piper was once again dressed in her black stealth suit, darting from shadow to shadow. Except she was in Cyclonia rather than Zartacla. She had decided to make this a solo mission, despite the other's disagreements. Weaverbird had said nothing, but then, she'd hardly said anything since Aerrow disappeared. The Dragoness had perked up a little on entering Cyclonia, so Aerrow was definitely there. All Piper had to do was find him. She fervently hoped he was okay.

Piper slunk into the shadows of yet another corridor. A door with two guards posted at the entrance caught her eye. Another Cyclonian exited the room, giving the other two some orders before striding away. Piper was positive that that was where they were holding Aerrow. Now she just had to find a way in without alerting the guards. Her eyes strayed up to the ceiling while she thought, as though she could find her answer there. As fate would have it, she did.

A large air vent big enough to admit a girl her size was located directly above her. As gently as she could, Piper pried the grate off and leaped inside without a sound. She crawled through the vent system towards the guarded room.

Lucky for Piper, the vent system followed the hallways and rooms of the Cyclonian fortress. She pried another grate out of its place and dropped silently into the room below. She stared around, taking in her surroundings. There was a tall foreboding gargoyle statue in each corner of the room. A table-like structure stood in the center, crystals stuck out of the top in a line. They went from different hues of blue, to yellow, through to red, and ended with a dark red crystal. As soon as Piper's eyes adjusted to the darkness, she found who she was looking for.

"Aerrow!" she whispered, rushing over to him. The sky knight didn't respond. He was a sorry sight. The gash in his side wasn't looking too good. He was pale, and there were dark circles under his eyes. Piper cupped his face in her hands. He was feverish too. Piper called Aerrow's name softly and he stirred, wincing a little in his sleep.

"Pi… Piper?" he rasped, opening his eyes. The once vibrant green orbs were dull, and took a while to focus. A small smile crossed his features when he saw his navigator. Piper breathed a sigh of relief and wrapped her arms around his neck, his head resting on her shoulder. They remained like this for a while, simply glad to see each other again.

Piper pulled away and started examining Aerrow's wounds. Lara had continued to clean them daily, but they were infected despite this. Piper lightly touched her delicate fingers to Aerrow's side and he cringed, wincing.

"What are you doing here?" Aerrow whispered. Piper started inspecting the shackles that bound him to the wall.

"Saving you, silly," Piper replied, continuing to evaluate the lock. Aerrow was about to reply, when suddenly looked up at the door. Footsteps echoed down the corridor outside the room; footsteps Aerrow knew all too well by now.

"Piper," Aerrow called. She looked at him, "Hide. Right now! And no matter what you hear, no matter what they do me, don't come out!" Piper looked confused and was about to protest but Aerrow cut her off, "Piper, that's an order!" She gave him a long questioning look before concealing herself behind one of the gargoyle statues. Aerrow drew himself up as much as he could as Master Cyclonis and the Dark Ace entered the room. He wasn't about to reveal his weakness to his enemies so easily.

"Ready to give up yet?" Cyclonis asked. Her tone was conversational, yet her eyes were full of malice. Piper listened from behind the statue. Aerrow didn't reply, but Piper could tell he was glaring. Piper watched from under the gargoyle's wing as Cyclonis rested her hand on the first blue crystal. Aerrow gave a painful gasp. Piper had to stifle a gasp of her own; they were torturing her leader! She fought to control a rush of rage and sorrow.

Removing her hand from the crystal, Cyclonis chuckled, "You've got spirit, I'll give you that." She rested her hand on the next crystal, "But is it enough?" This continued for a while, Aerrow's cries growing steadily more agonized. Piper felt tears spring to her eyes. Cyclonis' hand was hovering over the first red crystal when Piper couldn't take it any more. A small sob escaped her lips, and Cyclonis paused.

Master Cyclonis signaled for the Dark Ace to check behind the statue. He strode over and dragged Piper out from behind it. Master Cyclonis looked immensely pleased. She laughed as she strode up to her 'best friend'.

"I knew you'd come for your friend," she said menacingly, "Now I have you and your 'sky knight'." Aerrow mentally slapped himself. Why didn't he see it before? Cyclonis never really saw Aerrow as a threat; she was always more interested in Piper. Aerrow was only the bait! The sky knight fervently hoped that she hadn't come alone.

"_And_," Cyclonis continued, "You were fool enough to come without backup!" Aerrow sighed. Piper wanted to look away, but she didn't dare break the Master's stare. Cyclonis strode around to the table with the crystals in it, gazing up at Aerrow nonchalantly.

"The Storm Hawks could barely function without you, Piper," she hissed, "But what will happen to them without their sky knight as well?" An evil smile played around Cyclonis' lips. Aerrow narrowed his eyes, his hatred for Cyclonis steadily rising. Piper swallowed the lump of dread in her throat.

"Take them both to a prison cell in the dungeons," Cyclonis ordered, "I have some… _adjustments_ to make here." She turned to the Interrogator and two guards came in. They released Aerrow from the shackles on the wall and the two Storm Hawks were dragged away. Dark Ace moved to stand beside his master.

"Do you really think either of them will willingly join you?" He asked cautiously. Cyclonis didn't look away from the crystals on her device.

"It's all a matter of whose will is stronger;" she replied lightly, "The sky knight is weak. But not as weak as I thought. And Piper cares for her friends far too much. With the right leverage," Cyclonis brought her fingertips together in a squeezing gesture,

"They will both break under my will."

**There you have it! If you didn't understand the title before, well, now you do! Review please, it motivates me:)**


	6. Chapter 6: Mika

**Thanks for all the reviews, guys! I feel so loved! 3 **

**We meet another OC in this one. I mentioned her before; I'll give you a hint: Chapter 4.**

**Enjoy!**

_**Mika**_

The Talons roughly tossed Aerrow and Piper into a prison cell. Piper picked herself up off the damp floor and went over to Aerrow. She kneeled beside him and made him as comfortable as possible, pillowing his head on her shoulder.

"I can't believe you came without backup." Aerrow muttered, not bothering to open his eyes. Piper sighed and looked away. Aerrow gave a few dry coughs and Piper gently smoothed his hair out of his face. There was a pale grey tinge in his skin, and he was shivering slightly. The skin on his wrists and ankles had been rubbed red and raw from the shackles. Piper pulled him a little closer to her.

"So what's your plan this time?" Aerrow croaked, opening his eyes. Piper looked down at him.

"I don't know…" Piper replied softly. She thought for a moment, and then perked up a little as she thought of something. Reaching into a hidden pocket, Piper pressed a small button in the fabric of her stealth suit. There was a small beep, and then silence.

"What did that do?" Aerrow asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It sends a distress signal to the Condor." Piper replied, shifting her position slightly, "I had it installed when I got this suit tailored." Feeling her friend's forehead she asked, "What about you? Are you feeling okay?" Aerrow rolled his shoulders a bit, closing his eyes again.

"Asides from the daily torture sessions, the gash in my side and back, the aching muscles, pounding headache, fever, exhaustion, and other effects caused by lack of food, water, or sleep? I'm doin' great!" Aerrow replied with a small smile. Piper figured he was trying to cheer her up with a little Stork-esque humor, but it didn't help much. She groaned sympathetically. There was a small rustle from the darkest corner of the cell, and Piper looked over.

"Who's there?" Piper called, trying to keep her voice from quavering. There was silence for a moment, and then a small girl no older than seven stepped towards them cautiously. Her long, wavy blond hair fell lankly down her back, and her bright violet eyes looked haunted. Aerrow stared at the child for a moment before realizing who she looked like.

"You're Mika, aren't you?" He asked softly. The little girl nodded and shivered. Piper felt her eyes sting with tears, but she didn't let them fall. She couldn't believe that Cyclonis had sunk so low as to imprison innocent children. Piper held her hand out to the young girl and she huddled over. Piper wrapped her free arm around Mika's shoulders to help keep her warm, while using the other one to hold Aerrow off the cell floor.

"We're going to get you out of here." Piper promised the child. She felt her motherly instinct kicking in, and gently stroked Mika's hair. The little girl snorted derisively.

"You guys are locked in here as much as I am," Mika replied, looking at Piper with a raised eyebrow, "And he doesn't look strong enough to help you fight your way out." Aerrow couldn't help grinning; nothing got by this girl easily. Piper gave a sheepish chuckle.

Aerrow gave a few dry hacking coughs and Piper frowned, feeling his forehead with the back of her hand. He was burning up, and sweat beaded on his forehead. Piper gently brushed it away. Mika looked concerned; spending her days as a prisoner of Cyclonia had caused her to mature quickly. She thought for a moment before scurrying back to her dark corner and bringing back a cup filled with water. She handed it to Piper, who took it gratefully.

"I've been saving it," Mika explained, "In case I got really thirsty. But I think you guys need it more. They sometimes forget to bring food or water." Mika jerked her head towards the cell door to indicate the guards outside. Piper held the cup to Aerrow's lips and took a few swallows. His coughing subsided with the drink, and he shifted into a more comfortable position. Stripping off both of her long gloves, Piper dipped them in the remaining water. She handed one to Mika who took charge of cleaning Aerrow's wounds. Piper started trying to cool Aerrow's fever. He gave a long strained sigh of relief, and fell into a fitful sleep.

* * *

The other Storm Hawks had gotten Piper's distress signal, and were now calling to other squadrons for help. Weaverbird had deteriorated even further; her scales were more grey than blue, and the light in her crystal pulsed faintly. The other Storm Hawks were afraid she wouldn't last much longer.

"Don't worry about me," The Dragoness had said, "Worry about Aerrow. He's back within my range, and isn't doing too well." That just made Finn worry about his friends even more.

Finn was sitting at the table with the radio beside him, his head resting on his arms. He was about to fall asleep when a familiar voice crackled over the airwaves. Finn's head shot up. He grabbed the mouthpiece and pressed the button.

"Starling?!" Finn said incredulously. The radio crackled for a moment and the Interceptor's voice issued from the speaker.

"I got your message. What happened?" Finn felt a tingle of joy in his fingers; Starling would know what to do.

"Piper and Aerrow have been kidnapped," Finn replied, "We need help to get 'em back. Can you meet us somewhere?" There was silence for a moment, then Starling replied.

"There's a small uncharted terra not far from your current position," Starling replied, "Meet me there."

* * *

Piper was sitting with Aerrow propped up against her shoulder. He was asleep and his condition had not improved. Mika and Piper both pitched in some of their daily water rations to help care for Aerrow's wounds and fever, but it still didn't seem to be enough. He shivered and twitched in his sleep, muttering under his breath. Last time, Weaverbird had diagnosed Aerrow with fever dreams.

Piper wished her team's Healer was there. No matter what Piper and Mika did for him, nothing seemed to help. Piper cradled Aerrow in her arms, her cheek resting against Aerrow's, and Mika would often hum a haunting tune to break the long silences.

"My mom used to sing it to me when I was afraid," Mika explained, "But I don't know all the words." Piper had taken a liking to the lullaby. Mika was humming it and Piper was humming along when the cell door opened and two Talons strode in. Aerrow's eyes flew open, and he stared around the room, seemingly disoriented. Piper held him closer, as if to protect him. The Cyclonians reached down and dragged Aerrow away from the navigator.

"Don't worry, Piper," Aerrow called, his voice raspy, "I'll be okay!"

He hoped it wasn't a lie.

**Agh! Cliffie! I'm gonna get a huge chorus of 'Poor Aerrow's from this chappie. Actually, I'm so evil to him, I have to say it myself. Poor Aerrow! And Poor Weaverbird while I'm at it. '**

**Stay tuned for chappie 7!**


	7. Chapter 7: Persuasion

**Hi guys, I'm back again! I wanted to update yesterday, but this chapter didn't seem to flow so well for the past little while :P Then we had to out Ice Fishing. We didn't really catch anything. Except a Mud Puppy, which was really cool. We thought it was a kind of fish called a Ling at first. Then it started walking around on the ice, and we had to admit, it wasn't a fish. A Mud Puppy is a kind of large salamander, for those who don't know.**

**Anyway, enough of my ramblings. Here's chapter 7. Enjoy!**

_**Persuasion**_

Piper was sitting with Mika in their prison cell, trying to keep her mind off of Aerrow. It was harder than she thought; Piper couldn't stop wondering whether her leader was still alive or not. The cell door opened, and she turned. Piper half expected it to be the guards coming back with news of Aerrow's death, or at least returning with a worsened Aerrow; it was way too early to get their daily rations of food or water. Instead they grabbed Piper under the arms and hauled her away.

"Piper!" Mika fought back tears. Piper was the only friend she had anywhere in Cyclonia. She remembered how Piper had promised to set her free. Mika wondered if there was a chance Piper and Aerrow could get away and save her. She settled down in the center of the cell, her hands folded anxiously on her lap. All she could do was wait and hope.

Hope was all she had left anymore.

* * *

Finn and Starling strode onto the bridge of the Condor. The Interceptor leaped a mile in the air when she saw Weaverbird coiled up in a corner. She strode over to the dozing Dragon, surprise and awe written all over her features.

"A Dragon?" Starling breathed, "But I thought they were extinct!" Finn shrugged.

"That's what we thought too. Until we met Weaverbird that is." Starling returned her gaze to the Dragoness. Weaverbird opened one eye, meeting the sky knight's olive gaze.

"Hello Starling." Weaverbird mumbled. Starling leaped back in shock.

"You can talk?" She asked warily, "_And_ you know my name?" Weaverbird shifted slightly.

"Of course I can, and of course I do." Weaverbird replied, "We've met before." Starling looked perplexed. "On terra Saharr. Remember Weaver? That was me." Starling thought a moment, then comprehension dawned on her face. Now that she thought about it, Weaverbird's voice did sound familiar. Weaverbird sat up tiredly, her scales slightly grayer.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Finn asked, eyeing Weaverbird dubiously. The Dragoness returned the sharpshooter's bright blue gaze.

"I'll be fine; it's Aerrow you should be worried about. Whatever the Cyclonians are doing to him is draining a lot of energy, so he's had to draw on mine. I'm just worn out. That's all." Finn didn't look convinced. Weaverbird held his gaze, and he dropped the subject. Starling gave them a perplexed look.

"Long story." Finn muttered. Starling shook her head, trying to clear the jumble of thoughts.

"What's our plan?" Starling got down to business. Finn looked at her sheepishly.

"We haven't got one." Finn shrugged, "It was always Piper who was best at coming up with plans. We haven't been able to think of anything that would work." Starling sighed and put a hand to her forehead in exasperation. Weaverbird settled back into her corner.

"Whatever you decide to do it will have to be without me," Weaverbird warned, "I barely have the strength to stand, let alone fight."

"And try to remember, that there's an extremely thin chance that any of you will make it out alive," Stork called from the helm, "This is _Cyclonia_ we're talking about after all."

* * *

Cyclonis had made a few changes to the Interrogator cell. The gargoyle statues were gone, leaving the corners starkly bare. A pair of chains had been attached to one wall. Piper was shackled to the chains when she was returned to the room.

Aerrow was once again bound in the Interrogator's shackles. He wasn't looking too good; the grey tinge in his skin hadn't receded and a trickle of blood issued from under the shackles around his wrists. The gash in his side had a nasty purple tinge around it. The infection in the wound was steadily growing worse.

"Aerrow," Piper breathed, getting as near to him as she possibly could. He didn't respond.

Cyclonis and the Dark Ace entered the room; the Dark Ace stood near the door, as if to prevent anyone from leaving or entering. Aerrow's eyes fluttered open. He blinked in surprise and concern when he caught sight of Piper chained to the wall. Then he shot the most contemptuous glare Piper had ever seen at Cyclonis. The ruler of Cyclonia gave a dark chuckle.

"You just don't know when to give up, do you?" Cyclonis sighed, shaking her head, "Maybe your friend will have more sense." Cyclonis laid her hand on top of one of the yellow crystals. The sensation of being stabbed with hot knives engulfed Aerrow, and he cried out in pain. Piper gasped and tried to get to her friend, forgetting the chains that bound her to the wall. Cyclonis lifted her hand from the crystal and Aerrow fell limp, gasping for breath. Cyclonis turned to Piper.

"_I_ haven't given up on you," she said, her purple eyes boring into Piper's amber ones, "I still want you to join me."

"Don't listen to her, Piper!" Aerrow gasped from the wall. Master Cyclonis shot him a contemptuous glance and laid her hand on the nest crystal in line. Aerrow gave another agonized cry. Piper wanted to look away, but she couldn't. Cyclonis continued over Aerrow's panting.

"Tell you what," Cyclonis offered conversationally, "Join me," her hand hovered over the next crystal, the first red one, "and his suffering will end. Refuse," Cyclonis' hand dropped a few inches, "Well, I think you can figure that one out for yourself." The hint of a smile played around Cyclonis' lips.

Piper looked past Master Cyclonis at Aerrow. He shook his head, silently mouthing the word '_no_', his green eyes filled with desperation. For the first time since joining the Storm Hawks, Piper felt her confidence drain from her heart. She bit her lip and looked at the floor. Cyclonis raised an eyebrow, her fingertips nearly brushing the red crystal.

"Perhaps you need more incentive?" Cyclonis let her hand fall to the top of the crystal. Aerrow shuddered violently, his eyes shut tight.

"Don't listen to her, Piper!" Aerrow pleaded, his voice wracked with pain, "No matter what happens to me! Don't join her!" Cyclonis let her hand linger on the crystal for a while. Piper fell to her knees, tears falling freely from her eyes. Cyclonis smiled evilly, removing her hand from the crystal. Aerrow fell limp, shivering hard and breathing heavily.

"You can make it stop, Piper," Cyclonis gestured to the sky knight. Piper looked down, her eyes hooded. Cyclonis sneered at the girl, "You care too much, Piper. Especially for your sky knight. That's your weakness." Piper gave Cyclonis a sidelong glance, "Oh yes," Cyclonis continued, "I know how you feel about each other. The way you spoke so fondly of him. And the way he always seemed to fawn after you. They were impossible to miss." Cyclonis grinned as Piper's and Aerrow's faces flushed. Cyclonis chuckled.

"I see you need more time to decide. I'll be back later. Right now, I have other matters to attend to." Cyclonis turned on her heel, striding out of the holding cell. Dark Ace followed.

"It doesn't seem they will break any time soon. At least, the sky knight doesn't appear to be bending to your will so easily." The Dark Ace mused, more to himself than to his Master. Cyclonis heard, but disregarded the comment.

"I gave her the chance to join me willingly," Cyclonis muttered, "It seems I will have to take what I want by force. Don't worry about the sky knight. When his precious navigator breaks,

"_So will he._"

**There you have it! Tell what you think of Master Cyclonis' parts. I'd like to know how well I'm pulling off the most evil character in the show. **


	8. Chapter 8: Control

**Hey everybody, here's chapter 8! Yay!**

**I can't believe I forgot to say this earlier, but:**

**I don't own Storm Hawks. If I did, I wouldn't be posting this here, now would I? I do, however, own Weaverbird, Lara, and Mika. You can use them in your stories if you want, but be sure to ask me first please!**

**On with the story!**

_**Control**_

Piper slid as close to Aerrow as she could get, and reached her hand out. The chains that bound her to the wall were just long enough to be able to brush Aerrow's fingertips with her own. She felt tears well up in her eyes, and she brushed them away. Piper kneeled on the cell floor, looking down at her knees. She didn't know what to do anymore. She could help Aerrow by joining Cyclonis; the Master of Cyclonia wouldn't torture him anymore. Piper bit her lip, not wanting to give in to her enemies, but also not wanting to put her friend at risk.

"Don't even think about it." Aerrow muttered from the wall, turning his head slightly towards Piper. She looked at him and he gave a weak smile.

"What?" Piper blinked, her amber eyes surprised and sad. Aerrow returned her gaze, desperation and sorrow in his green eyes.

"Piper, at this point, I don't think it matters what happens to me." Aerrow rasped. Piper looked horrified at this statement. The wound in his side throbbed unpleasantly and he winced, hissing through his teeth.

"I… I don't know what you mean." Piper replied, although she knew perfectly well what he meant. She looked away, her eyes were wide with fear. Piper turned back to him, "Of course it matters. You're going to be okay. We'll get out of here. _Together_." Aerrow caught her stare and held it.

"Piper, please promise me one thing," Aerrow said, so quietly Piper almost didn't hear him, "Don't let the Storm Hawks fail again. When you get out of here… And I know you will… Take up my position as Sky Knight." Piper shook her head, shock and horror kept her from speaking.

"Promise me…" Aerrow trailed off, falling into a fitful sleep. Piper felt her heart breaking; she never expected Aerrow to give up like this. Piper settled herself beside him, trying hard not to find a reason to give up herself.

* * *

A few hours later, Piper was shaken out of her stupor by the cell door opening. She scrambled to her feet, putting as much of herself as she could between Aerrow and the Talon that entered. The Talon pulled off her goggles and helmet, revealing vibrant violet eyes, and long wavy blond hair. Piper thought for a second that Mika had escaped and come to help them. The Talon stared at Piper in surprise.

"Who are you?!" Piper demanded. Aerrow stirred behind her, and she fell silent. He needed to rest; she couldn't afford to wake him up.

"Don't worry, I'm a friend. My name is Lara." Lara approached cautiously, holding up a flask of water as if to prove her point. She offered it to Piper, who refused.

"Aerrow needs it more. I'm fine." The navigator insisted.

"You need to drink something too, Piper," Aerrow muttered from behind her, having woken up, "I'm not having any until you do." Piper flushed; she couldn't help feeling a little flattered that Aerrow would do that for her. Grudgingly, she took the flask and swallowed once, then handed it back to Lara. Aerrow nodded, satisfied.

Lara approached Aerrow and held the flask to his lips. He swallowed weakly, the water soothing his sore throat. Lara pulled a clean cloth from her belt pouch and poured some of the remaining water on it. Lightly, she sponged his forehead, cooling the fever as best she could. She then set about cleaning Aerrow's wounds. Piper watched suspiciously.

"Why would you want to help us?" Piper asked finally. Lara, surveying the infection in Aerrow's wound didn't look up.

"I didn't want to be here," the Talon finally replied, "I'm here to protect my family. I don't want to cause suffering unnecessarily. I suppose I'm trying to clear my conscience by helping you, and as many other prisoners as I can. But…" Lara trailed off. Even in the dim light, Piper could see a tear roll down the Talon's face. Piper thought for a moment, then realized.

"You're Mika's mother, aren't you?" Piper asked finally. Lara turned to look at her.

"Yes… How did you know? Only your friend Aerrow could have told you that. I last saw her on terra Tranqua. At our home after the raids." Lara's piercing violet gaze met Piper's amber eyes.

"She's here. Mika's being held in a prison cell deep in the dungeons." Lara stared at Piper, in too much shock to speak. Her legs gave way, and she sat down on the floor hard.

"They told me she was safe at home…" Piper heard Lara whisper. Rage replaced the shock on her face, "They will pay for this. I swear, Cyclonis will pay for what she's done to my family." Lara stood up, her hands balled into fists at her side. She was a very formidable figure in the dim half-light of the cell. Lara took a deep breath to compose herself, and returned to tending Aerrow's wounds. When she finished, she stowed the cloth in her belt pouch and reattached the flask to her belt.

"I only wish I could have brought hot water," Lara remarked, her eyes hooded, "The infection is getting even worse, and hot water would be better than cold. But it would seem odd to fill your drinking flask with hot water. I can't afford to arouse suspicion." She strode to the door. "Thank-you," Lara whispered to Piper before leaving, "I promise, if there's anything I can do to help you two escape, I will do it."

* * *

Starling strode down the hall beside Junko; both were dressed in their Talon disguises and had successfully entered Cyclonia undetected. Finn was scouting out another part Cyclonia, unfortunately, alone. Weaverbird would have come too, but she wasn't strong enough to hold her own in battle. Starling grimaced behind her mask; it would have been useful to have a Dragon with them if they got in a tight spot.

Starling and Junko had come to an intersection of four hallways, when something caught the Interceptor's eye. Master Cyclonis and the Dark Ace were striding down another corridor, a company of Talons at their heels. Starling pointed this out to Junko, and they inconspicuously trotted after them. They'd radio Finn when they found Aerrow and Piper.

* * *

Piper and Aerrow looked up as Cyclonis, the Dark Ace, and several Talons entered the holding cell. Cyclonis gestured towards the two Storm Hawks, and the Talons strode over. They unchained Piper and released Aerrow, who crumpled to the ground. He struggled to his feet, several Talons brandishing their spears at him. Aerrow's legs threatened to give way, and Piper pushed her way through the throng and supported her leader. Several Talons looked to Master Cyclonis for orders, but she said nothing; only indicating them to follow.

Aerrow and Piper shared a look and Aerrow nodded encouragingly, his face set. They were 'escorted' back down the hallway, towards Master Cyclonis' throne room. They entered, and the Talons backed away towards the walls. Piper and Aerrow stood in the middle of the room, Aerrow leaning heavily on Piper for support. Cyclonis strode past them and stood before her crystal sorting console. Removing one from the storage area, she installed it into her staff. She turned towards the two Storm Hawks, malevolence emanating from her in waves.

"Have you reconsidered my offer yet?" Cyclonis asked, fingering the bright red crystal in the staff, "Will you join me?" Piper glanced at Aerrow. He looked back at her, his expression unreadable. Piper gritted her teeth and gave her answer.

"_Never_." Aerrow blinked, grinning inwardly. Cyclonis sneered at her 'best friend'. Suddenly, the Dark Ace took hold of Aerrow and dragged him away from Piper. He tried to resist, but he wasn't strong enough to hold his ground.

"A poor decision. But you will join me none the less" Cyclonis replied. Without warning, she lashed out with her staff, firing a bolt of red energy from the tip. It hit Piper full on in the stomach and she was flung across the throne room.

"Piper!" Aerrow shouted out in fear for his friend. Dark Ace cast him to the floor and backed away. Aerrow struggled to his feet. Piper stood up and turned to look at her leader, but something about her wasn't quite right to Aerrow. A Talon stepped forwards, holding out Piper's staff in his hands. She took it and spun around, eyeing Aerrow with blood-red eyes. Aerrow felt his heart turn to ice.

"What did you do to her?!" Aerrow snarled at Cyclonis. She laughed, plucking the crystal from the end of her staff.

"Like I said, Piper would join me eventually. Whether she wanted to or not." An energy blade was thrust into Aerrow's hand and activated. He stared at it numbly. Piper advanced on him, a murderous look in her eyes, her staff raised. It was equipped with a Firebolt crystal. Aerrow backed away. He didn't have the strength to fight, and Piper was the last person he wanted to find himself in combat with.

Aerrow found himself against the wall, with nowhere to run. Seeing her chance, Piper lunged.

**Cliffie! I'm so evil! XD First I torture Aerrow, then I have Cyclonis brainwash Piper! Who's side am I on? I know who's side I'm on. ;) Please review!**


	9. Chapter 9: Keeping Promises

**I'm back! This story's almost over already! o.O Wow! But don't worry; I've got a (possible) oneshot in the works. I'm aiming for it to be more humorous; a pick-me-up, if you will, after writing this depressing fic. XD It was alot of fun to write though.**

**Enjoy!**

_**Keeping Promises**_

Aerrow parried Piper's blow, and rolled out of the way. He staggered to his feet, fighting off a wave of dizziness. His side throbbed incessantly, but he ignored it. Piper advanced on Aerrow again.

"Piper…" Aerrow whispered, a lump in his throat, "Piper, please…" She struck again, and he ducked out of the way, gripping his side. Aerrow leaned against the wall, shivering and gritting his teeth against the pain of his wounds. Aerrow cast the energy blade in his hand away; it went dim as it clattered to the metal floor of the throne room.

"I'm not going to fight you." Aerrow said softly, yet everyone in the room heard him, "I would never hurt you." Piper said nothing; only sneered in disgust. Aerrow stood there against the wall of the throne room, resigned to the wrath of his brainwashed friend.

Piper looked uncertain for a second, and Aerrow thought he saw a flash of orange return to her eyes. Piper gripped the side of her head with one hand for a moment, her eyes shut tight. She shook her head as if trying to clear something from it. Cyclonis blinked, then bared her teeth in a silent snarl; her control over Piper was slipping. She tightened her mental hold on the girl, not willing to give up so easily.

'_Kill him now…_' a voice in Piper's mind growled, '_He and his squadron have only held you back. You can remove the obstacle that blocks you from your true destiny. Second in command sitting at the right hand of the ruler of Cyclonia. All you have to do is end him._' Piper fell to one knee, trying to resist the presence that threatened to overwhelm her.

Aerrow approached her and knelt beside her. He cupped Piper's face in his hands and tilted it up so that they were eye to eye. The colour in Piper's eyes flickered from red to orange to red again.

"Piper, it's me," Aerrow whispered, "It's me, Aerrow. Don't you remember?" Piper gazed into his green eyes; her own continued to flicker back and forth from red to amber. She shut them, shuddering at the evil presence in her mind.

"Get out of my head…" Piper whimpered. Aerrow continued to hold her face in his hands, watching her intently. Suddenly, Piper's eyes flew open; they were a blazing blood red. She thrust her staff upwards, the sharp tip of the Firebolt crystal embedding itself in Aerrow's chest. A surge of energy flooded his body, and he collapsed. Piper watched, her expression unreadable. Suddenly, she cried out in shock and despair.

With great mental strain, Piper threw off Cyclonis' control. The crystal in the tip of the Master's staff shattered with a flash of red light. Cyclonis snarled in anger and surprise, but it was cut short. A Talon behind her cracked the butt of her spear over Cyclonis' head and she fell to the ground, unconscious.

The Dark Ace gave an enraged roar and started towards the Talon. She pulled a small spherical device studded with yellow crystals out of her belt pouch and threw into the midst of the Talons. She tossed another in front of the Dark Ace. He looked down at it in surprise. It emitted an electrical pulse and they all fell to the floor, out cold. The Talon removed her mask and goggles; it was Lara.

Piper rushed over to Aerrow. She gripped the staff near the end and gave it a firm tug. Aerrow cried out as the weapon was pulled free of his chest. Piper examined the wound, but knew it was probably fatal. She cradled Aerrow in her arms, her tears falling freely.

"Aerrow, I'm so sorry!" Piper sobbed. Aerrow reached up with one hand and brushed away her tears. Piper pulled the edges of the wound closed and pressed on it, trying to staunch the flow of blood. Aerrow gave a choked cry of agony, shuddering violently. Piper tried to swallow the lump in her throat, without success.

"It's okay," he murmured, his breathing growing shallow, "It wasn't your fault." Piper didn't notice the door of the throne room had been thrown right open. She continued to try to slow Aerrow's bleeding. A wave of pain broke over him, and he let out a small moan.

"Aerrow! Piper!" three figures sprinted towards them. Piper recognized the hulking, burly figure of Junko, and the scrawny, squirrelly figure of Finn. The third Talon removed her mask, revealing Starling underneath. Piper smiled, happy to see that they were okay. Then she turned back to Aerrow, and tears welled in her eyes again. She buried her face in the crook of his neck. The others stopped in their tracks, shocked at the sight of the sky knight lying broken in their navigator's arms.

Aerrow's head slid into Piper's shoulder, and he closed his eyes. Piper held him closer, crying in earnest. Junko and Finn came to kneel beside them, shedding tears of their own. Junko laid a hand on one of Aerrow's shoulders, his pointy ears drooping. Something stirred under his big, yet sensitive fingers. Junko opened his eyes, pressing his fingers into Aerrow's shoulder a bit harder. The Wallop gasped; he could feel a heartbeat.

"He's alive!" Piper shot Junko an incredulous glance and pressed her ear to Aerrow's chest, ignoring the blood that soaked into her stealth suit. Junko was right. It was weak and barely audible, but it was there. Junko immediately took charge of the situation, scooping Aerrow up into his broad grasp. Piper dragged Finn over, tugging an extra clean cloth out of his janitor's case. She pressed it to the wound and told Finn to hold it there. Piper teamed up with Starling and looked around for Lara. The Tranquan was nowhere to be found.

"Where are you going?" Finn shouted, watching the two of them sprint for the throne room doors.

"Get Aerrow back to the Condor!" Piper called back hurriedly, "Have Weaverbird look after him. I've got a promise to fulfill." '_After all,_' Piper added silently, '_Lara kept hers._' With that, Piper and Starling sprinted off for the dungeons.

**Sorry, DevilsAngelsSaphire, but you can't kill me yet. Aerrow hasn't died. Yet. XD Stay tuned!**


	10. Chapter 10: Recovery

**Hello all my faithful readers! Here's Chapter 10! I've got a snow day today too, so I should have the epilogue up at some point.**

_**Recovery**_

Piper led Starling deep into the dungeons. There were no guards in front of Mika's cell, so Piper was able to pick the lock without interruption. The cell door swung open without any resistance. The cell appeared empty, but Piper knew better. Softly, she called Mika's name. There was a rustling sound and the little girl scrambled out into the center of the cell, surprise and delight gracing her features.

"Piper!" Mika hurried over to her rescuers, her violet eyes laughing.

Piper looked over at Starling; the sky knight had her hand over her mouth in shock, yet rage and sorrow burned in her cypress eyes. Piper scooped up Mika and they hurried out of the dungeons to where Starling had hidden her Slip-Wing Fighter Ultra. Piper heaved Mika up in front of Starling and climbed in behind the Interceptor.

Piper was grateful for the skimmer's incredible speed. They reached the Condor within an hour. Piper carried Mika inside, holding the child close to keep her warm. The tattered outfit she had wasn't very thick. They strode onto the bridge to find the other Storm Hawks standing together silently. Only Aerrow and Weaverbird were missing from the scene. Tension hung thickly in the air, like an emotional smog. Piper looked around at them, a lump forming in her throat.

"Is Aerrow..?" Piper trailed off, glancing around at them all. They looked at her for a while.

"Weaverbird's still working on him." Stork finally answered. Piper slid down into a chair, trying to hold back her tears of despair and guilt. Mika pattered over and stood right in front of Piper, forcing the navigator to meet the girl's violet stare.

"It's gonna be okay." Mika said, sounding so certain that Piper almost believed for a second. That moment Weaverbird, in her human form, entered the bridge, wiping the sweat from her brow. Everyone turned to her, desperate to know if their leader would live or die.

"I've got him stabilized," She sighed, "But he's still got a ways to go before I can be certain he'll the survive. The wound in his chest is deep; it barely missed his lung and he's lost a lot of blood. The one in his back I healed myself, as it's the only one that I would be able to heal completely. The gash in his side will need some extensive treatment, but once I remove the flesh killed by the infection, a poultice of rosemary should fix him up just fine. I've already given him something to replenish the lost blood, but it needs a few hours to take effect." Piper swallowed uncomfortably. Weaverbird looked at her, and Piper felt a less threatening presence enter her mind.

'_I suppose you want to see him?_' Weaverbird asked; her thoughts were not nearly as frightening as Cyclonis' had been. Piper nodded numbly. '_Bring your new friend, I'll see what I can do for her._' Weaverbird led Piper and Mika out of the bridge, towards the Infirmary. The others meandered off to their quarters for the night; Starling headed to the room the Storm Hawks prepared for her if she should decide to join. Stork stayed at the helm of the ship, keeping the Condor on course.

* * *

The familiar aroma of Heartsure filled the air of the Infirmary. The room had a window design as generous as the bridge; for ventilation mostly, but there wasn't much for a bedridden patient to do in the Infirmary except stare out the windows. It also helped as Weaverbird was mildly claustrophobic. Dragons always had an outlet to the sky no matter where they were, so moving indoors on a carrier ship was a pretty big change for Weaverbird. The windows were all closed, and the thermostat turned up. Stars glimmered through the windows, like diamonds stitched into dark blue satin.

Piper rushed to Aerrow's side as Weaverbird hefted Mika up onto another bed. She started giving the child a complete check-over for injuries or illnesses. Piper examined Aerrow, trying to get an idea of his condition.

A cold wet towel rested on top of the wound in Aerrow's chest, and the gash in his side was covered by an anti-bacterial strip and bound with medical tape. He was pale, and sweat beaded on his forehead. He shivered, despite the increased warmth of the Infirmary, and his breathing was shallow and sounded painful. Piper brushed his hair away from his face and felt Aerrow's forehead. He was burning up.

"You'll be just fine," Weaverbird was saying to Mika, "You just need some rest, good food and clean water. And I wouldn't say no to a hot bubble bath either." Piper glanced over and smiled at Mika before turning back to Aerrow. Weaverbird filled a bowl with cold water and brought it over with two clean cloths. She placed the bowl on the bedside table, and handed one of the cloths to Piper. She took it gratefully and began trying to cool Aerrow's fever.

"Mika can stay in my room, I've got the space for her." Piper offered. Her amber eyes bored into Weaverbird's sapphire ones, and Weaverbird understood. She nodded, taking Mika by the hand and leading her to Piper's quarters for the night. Piper planned to stay in Infirmary with Aerrow.

Piper clasped one of Aerrow's hands and brushed the hair from his face again. She pressed the cold cloth to his forehead and cheeks, and also to his neck and shoulders, trying desperately to cool his fever. Aerrow gave a long strained sigh, shifting slightly in his sleep.

Weaverbird reentered the Infirmary and resumed her Dragon form. She started rummaging around and pulled out various tools and herbs.

"I've got to finish patching him up," Weaverbird told Piper, "I don't think you should stay; it tends to get to those with weak constitutions. Not to say you have one, but this can be a pretty brutal treatment. I'll let you back in when I'm finished." Piper stood grudgingly to leave.

"What do you have to do?" Piper asked. Weaverbird looked at Piper, her expression unreadable. The Dragoness knew that Piper wouldn't leave without an answer, so she decided to tell her the details.

"I have to cut out the worst of the dead flesh in this wound," Weaverbird indicated the one in Aerrow's side, "Then I have to cauterize the rest. Piper looked confused, "It means I have to burn the rest away with a hot iron." Weaverbird explained. Piper felt the bile rise in her throat. Weaverbird continued. "It's the only way to ensure that he doesn't get any sicker from the infection. I've done this several times before. Aerrow will be fine. He'll be unconscious for the next few hours; he won't feel a thing. Piper stood up, intending to return to the bridge.

"I'll call you when I've finished with this." Weaverbird promised. Piper nodded and took one last look at Aerrow before taking her leave.

* * *

Weaverbird's presence brushed Piper's consciousness. She leaped up, causing Stork to jump, and rushed back to the Infirmary. When she entered, she found Weaverbird rinsing soap off her paws under hot water. She shut the water off, and dried her paws with the towel hanging by the sink.

Piper settled herself at Aerrow's side and gave him a quick once-over. His breathing had eased up, and some of the colour had returned to his face. His upper body and shoulders were bound up tightly with linen bandages. Weaverbird padded over; she was looking better too. Some of the blue had returned to her scales, and the light in her crystal pulsed a little stronger.

"It's looking like he'll make a full recovery," Weaverbird purred. Then she frowned, "But what about you? You may not be physically hurt, but something is bothering you." Weaverbird scrutinized Piper, gazing into the girl's amber eyes. Piper shifted uncomfortably, crossing her arms close to her.

"This is my fault," she whispered, reaching out and brushing her fingers lightly along Aerrow's chest, "I did this to him." Weaverbird waited for Piper to elaborate.

"Cyclonis tried to control me," Piper whispered, tears stinging her eyes, "Aerrow tried to help me. And I… I stabbed him." Piper sobbed, putting her face in her hands. Weaverbird put her wing around Piper's shoulder, trying to comfort her.

"I know you would never do something like that willingly," Weaverbird mmrred softly, "That wasn't you who was acting. That was Cyclonis. Aerrow knows that, and I'm sure he doesn't blame you. I don't blame you." Piper turned and put her arms around Weaverbird's long neck, crying quietly. Weaverbird returned the hug with her wings.

"That fact that you threw Cyclonis off before she could finish the job proves who the stronger one is doesn't it?" Weaverbird continued as Piper's sobs died down. Piper looked at the Dragoness, "If you're strong enough to resist a controlling crystal, I'm sure you're strong enough to forgive yourself and let go of your guilt." Piper took a few deep breaths to steady herself.

"Okay." Piper whispered. Weaverbird nodded approvingly, a small smile evident on her face. Piper rested her head lightly against Aerrow's chest and listened to his heartbeat. It was steady and strong. '_Just like him…_' Piper thought, and her face flushed slightly.

Weaverbird headed to her quarters; a spacious adjoining room to the Infirmary. She looked back at the two Storm Hawks, and found Piper had fallen asleep. Aerrow's arm rested around her shoulders. Weaverbird gave a half amused half contented purr and settled down for the night.

**Aaaw! I like that ending! You guys didn't really think I would kill him did you? XD I don't kill main characters unless they're my own, and even that's pretty rare for me.**

**Stay tuned for the epilogue, it should be up sometime today.**

**See y'all soon!**


	11. Epilogue

**Here's the Epilogue! This was a fun story to write. I've got nothin' to say, so, Here it is! Enjoy!**

_**Epilogue**_

Piper stared up her ceiling. It had been a few days since they had escaped from Cyclonia, and the thoughts and memories were jumbled around in her head. They had dropped Mika off on terra Tranqua the day before, so Piper had room back. It was too hot; the Condor was always heated, what with Stork being cold-blooded and all. Piper had learned to put up with it. She threw the covers off of her and pulled on a housecoat; she needed some air.

Piper walked out onto the runway to find a certain red-headed someone was already there. Aerrow was stretched out in a half sitting, half lying position, staring up at the stars. He was wearing a pair of grey sweat pants; the only thing covering his upper body were his bandages. Piper strode over and settled herself beside him.

"Someone's up late." Aerrow chuckled, flashing his trademark grin at her. Piper giggled.

"I was going to say the same thing about you," Piper replied, "How'd you get out of the Infirmary?" Weaverbird had insisted on keeping Aerrow there while he recovered, much to his chagrin.

"Very, _very_, quietly." He replied. They shared a laugh at that. The two Storm Hawks sat together on the runway, simply enjoying each other's company. Neither said a word for a time. Piper looked away from the night sky to glance at her companion. Aerrow was staring up at the stars; they were reflected in his peridot eyes.

"What'cha thinkin' about?" Piper asked. Aerrow looked at her sideways.

"Everything." He replied simply. Piper rolled her eyes, but couldn't help feeling slightly amused.

"Anything specific?" she replied dryly. Aerrow closed his eyes, smiling to himself. He suddenly became serious. Piper thought she could see a hint of red creeping into the sky knight's face.

"I was sort of thinkin' about what Cyclonis said about…" he trailed off, shaking his head. Piper leaned towards him slightly.

"About what?" Piper prompted, wanting to know what was going on underneath that mop of red hair.

"Us." Aerrow replied, the blush evident in his face. Piper realized what he was talking about, and felt her own face flush. There was a long awkward silence.

"Did I really make it that obvious?" they both blurted out at the same time. They looked away, their faces bright red. Piper couldn't help feeling a little bubble of happiness that Aerrow felt the same way.

"I didn't really notice until Cyclonis pointed it out…" Piper tried to get the conversation going again. She shivered a bit; the cold was finally getting to her, and not even her blush could keep her warm.

"Here." Aerrow held out his arm and Piper scooted over. He settled his arm around her shoulder, and she settled in next to him. Her face burned, but part of her wanted to giggle with pleasure. Aerrow looked down and grinned at her. Piper let her head rest against his shoulder.

"So where do we go from here?" Piper wondered aloud, "Now that we both know how we both feel about each other?" Aerrow looked up at the stars again.

"We'll go wherever the wind takes us." He said simply. Piper chuckled; she had no idea that Aerrow could be so poetic, "We don't have to do anything now; we've got the whole future ahead of us. Besides, we'd never hear the end of it from Finn if he found out." Piper nodded fervently.

"Junko would think it was cute…" she mused. Aerrow smiled enjoying the breeze on his face.

"And Stork? I don't think we need to say anything about that." Aerrow chuckled. Piper giggled. Aerrow twitched one eye, impersonating his carrier pilot, "_Lovesickness!_ Highly contagious, and likely irreversible!" Piper laughed, Aerrow joined her.

"What about Radarr?" Piper finally asked. Aerrow shrugged.

"He'd be okay with it. Maybe. I don't know." Piper shook her head. They sat there in companionable silence for awhile. Eventually, Piper felt Aerrow stretch slightly.

"We'd better head back in. If Weaverbird finds out I left, I'll never hear the end of it." Piper smiled. Aerrow helped her up and they headed inside together.

Piper smiled; they didn't need to get into a relationship just now. They still had the whole future ahead of them. She looked up to see a pair of magpies fly overhead.

_Two for Joy…_

**The End! Aaww... Sweet! That was a nice ending. Keep an eye out for a oneshot by me. 'Hiccups!' You can prob'ly guess what it's about. **

**See y'all later!**


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